Herbicidal imidazolinyl benzoic acids, esters, and salts and their use are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,188,487, 4,297,128 and 4,554,013.
These substituted benzoic acids, esters and salts which are represented by Formula I. ##STR1## where R is hydrogen; C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 alkyl optionally substituted with one of the following groups: C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy, halogen, hydroxyl, C.sub.3 -C.sub.6 cycloalkyl, benzyloxy, furyl, phenyl, halophenyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkylphenyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 alkoxycarbonyl, cyano or tri(C.sub.1 -C.sub.3) alkylammonium;
C.sub.3 -C.sub.12 alkenyl optionally substituted with one of the following groups: C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 alkoxy phenyl, halogen, or C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 alkoxycarbonyl or with two C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy groups or two halogen atoms; PA1 C.sub.3 -C.sub.6 cycloalkyl optionally substituted with one or two C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 alkyl groups; PA1 C.sub.3 -C.sub.10 alkynyl; or, a cation; PA1 R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 each represent C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 alkyl or cyclopropyl, with the proviso that the sum of the number of carbon atoms in R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 is 2 to 5; and when R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are taken together with the carbon to which they are attached, they may form a C.sub.3 -C.sub.6 cycloalkyl ring optionally substituted with methyl; PA1 X is hydrogen, halogen or methyl; PA1 Y and Z are each hydrogen, halogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 hydroxyalkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkoxy, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkylthio, phenoxy, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 haloalkyl, OCF.sub.2 CHF.sub.2, OCF.sub.3, OCHF.sub.2, nitro, cyano, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkylsulfonyl, NR.sub.4 R.sub.5, C.sub.3 -C.sub.8 straight or branched alkenyloxy optionally substituted with one to three halogens, C.sub.3 -C.sub.8 straight or branched alkynyloxy optionally substituted with one to three halogens, or phenyl optionally substituted with one or two C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy or halogen or combinations of any two of these groups; PA1 R.sub.3 is hydrogen, halogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkylthio, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy, CF.sub.3, NO.sub.2, OCF.sub.3, OCHF.sub.2 or OCF.sub.2 CHF.sub.2 ; PA1 R.sub.4 is hydrogen or C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl; PA1 R.sub.5 is C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl; And, when taken together, Y and Z may form a ring in which YZ is represented by (1) the structure: --(CH.sub.2)n--, where n is an integer of 2, 3 or 4; or (2) by the structure: ##STR2## where L, M, R.sub.7 and R.sub.8 each represent hydrogen, halogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl or C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 alkoxy, or the isomeric mixture thereof are active herbicidal agents effective for controlling aquatic plants and a wide variety of annual and perennial plant species including field bind weed, wild oats, quackgrass and, with some compounds, velvetleaf and/or nutsedge. The herbicidal agents are effective for controlling the plants when applied to the foliage thereof or to soil or water containing seeds or other propagating organs of said plants such as tubers, rhizomes or stolons, at rates of from about 0.125 to 10.0 kg/ha.
Many of these compounds are well tolerated by a variety of crops including graminaceous crops and, legumes and sugar beets. They can be applied to the foliage of undesirable plant species or to soil containing seeds or other propagating organs thereof to control the same, and may be used in the form of liquid sprays or solid formulations for such applications.
When the compounds are water soluble such as the free acids and salts thereof, they may be simply dissolved in water and applied as such. These acids and salts may also be formulated as wettable powders, flowable concentrates, emulsifiable concentrates, granular formulations and the like.
However, when R is other than hydrogen or a cation, the resulting Formula I benzoic acid esters exhibit limited solubility, both in water and water miscible solvents. This limited solubility of these esters has heretofore restricted the concentrations obtainable and hence their use in aqueous spray applications.
It is an object of this invention to provide liquid concentrate compositions of imidazolinyl benzoic acid esters in water miscible solvents which are physically stable, contain relatively high concentrations of the imidazolinyl benzoic acid esters, and are suitable for application by dilution in water.